Iranian centrifuge machines in Natanz facility, Isfahan Province, in 2019. (Atomic Energy Organization of Iran via AP)
Trump has previously denied Iran’s demand for domestic uranium enrichment.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
The Trump administration has reportedly agreed to permit Iran to enrich uranium to 3.67% on its own territory under a new Pakistani-Qatari proposal aimed at advancing nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran, marking a departure from its previous opposition to Iranian enrichment.
Saudi news channel Al Arabiya, citing sources, reported that the proposal had revived serious negotiations between the United States and Iran.
In exchange for retaining limited domestic enrichment, Tehran would reduce its stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% to lower concentrations, potentially with assistance from a third country.
Under the proposed arrangement, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would also be permitted to return to Iran. However, the conditions governing their activities have not been specified.
The agreement would additionally provide for the release of between $6 billion and $9 billion in frozen Iranian funds once a deal is reached.
Washington would simultaneously end its naval blockade of Iran, while the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to unrestricted maritime traffic.
Trump had previously opposed allowing Tehran to maintain uranium enrichment capabilities.
In July 2025, he called Iran “stupid” for insisting on continuing enrichment and pledged to prevent the program from proceeding, according to Iran International.
That position remained unchanged in April 2026, when the White House described its opposition to domestic Iranian enrichment as a “red line” for the president, Al Jazeera reported.
During the same month, Trump claimed Iranian officials had accepted a plan allowing American and Iranian teams to recover enriched uranium and transport it to the United States. Iran’s foreign ministry disputed his account, according to CBS News.
By May 2026, Trump had indicated a willingness to consider a different arrangement.
The Times of Israel reported that he would accept a 20-year suspension of Iranian uranium enrichment rather than a permanent prohibition, provided Tehran offered a “real” guarantee.
Later that month, however, Trump told PBS News that Washington would not offer sanctions relief in return for Iran surrendering its highly enriched uranium.
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